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http://dx.doi.org/10.12674/ptk.2012.19.1.046

A Comparison of Trapezius Muscle Activity While Performing a Dictation Task, Sitting in an Auditorium Chair and a Classroom Chair  

Kim, Tae-Jin (Dept. of Physical Therapy, The Graduate School, Yonsei University)
Cho, Sang-Hyun (Dept. of Physical Therapy, College of Health Science Yonsei University/Dept. of Ergonomic Therapy, The Graduate School of Health and Environment, Yonsei University/Institute of Health Science, Yonsei University)
Cynn, Heon-Seock (Dept. of Physical Therapy, College of Health Science Yonsei University/Dept. of Ergonomic Therapy, The Graduate School of Health and Environment, Yonsei University/Institute of Health Science, Yonsei University)
Publication Information
Physical Therapy Korea / v.19, no.1, 2012 , pp. 46-55 More about this Journal
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the two different types of chairs on trapezius muscle activation during dictation tasks. Seventeen university students, each of whom were within ${\pm}1$ standard deviation of the mean Korean standard body size, voluntarily participated in this study. Surface electromyography was used to collect electrical signals from both the upper and lower trapezius muscles. Amplitude Probability Distribution Function (APDF) was performed to analyze the muscle activity. The findings of this study were 1) The backrest-point height of the auditorium chair and the height, length and width of the connected desk were shorter than what was suggested by the KS. Another difference was that the auditorium chair had a bigger angle of the backrest compared to the classroom chair. 2) Regarding within-subject effect the sole statistically significant difference was found between activation of the upper trapezius muscle. The upper trapezius muscle's %RVC in the APDF 10th-50th-90th percentile was statistically higher for participants sitting in the auditorium chair than for participants sitting in the classroom chair (p<.05). 3) There was an interaction effect between the 'two chair-types' and the 'two muscle-sides' in the APDF 10th-50th percentile (p<.05). 4) There was an interaction effect between the 'two chair-types' and the 'three gaze-direction' in the APDF 90th percentile (p<.05). The findings of this study indicated that maintaining a writing posture for a prolonged period of time in an auditorium chair significantly increased the left upper trapezius muscle activation compared to a classroom chair.
Keywords
Amplitude Probability Distribution Function; Chair; Surface electromyography; Trapezius muscle;
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